USCIS

The “Pending Employment-Based Form I-485 Report,” displays the total

USCIS has posted a new Web page on the H-1B and L-1 fee increase required by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (Pub. L. 114-113). Pub. L. 114-113 requires certain petitioners to submit an additional fee of $4,000 for certain H-1B petitions and an additional $4,500 for certain L-1A and L-1B petitions.

USCIS has received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the numerical limit (the “cap”) of 12,999 workers who may be issued CW-1 visas or otherwise provided with CW-1 status for Fiscal Year (FY) 2016.

USCIS has received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the congressionally mandated H-2B cap for Fiscal Year (FY) 2016.

USCIS updated Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker. The new edition is dated 04/28/16. The old edition11/20/15 edition also still accepted.

Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson has extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for eligible nationals of Honduras (and those without nationality who last habitually resided in Honduras) for an additional 18 months, effective July 6, 2016, through Jan. 5, 2018.

Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson has extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for eligible nationals of Nicaragua (and those without nationality who last habitually resided in Nicaragua) for an additional 18 months, effective July 6, 2016, through Jan. 5, 2018.

Beginning June 8, 2016, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will allow certain Filipino World War II veteran family members who are beneficiaries of approved family-based immigrant visa petitions an opportunity to receive a discretionary grant of parole on a case-by-case basis, so that they may come to the United States as they wait for their immigrant visa to become available.    

USCIS and the U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced the launch of USCIS/DOS e-Approval for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, for the H-2A (temporary agricultural worker) classification. Beginning Wednesday, May 11, 2016, this new electronic process will allow USCIS to send approval information for H-2A petitions to DOS by the end of the next business day.

On May 9, USCIS launched a pilot study that offers customers optional checklists to assist in the submission of form packages. The checklists are designed to help customers easily identify what documents they need to include when they initially file an application or petition, and to remind them of the important items needed to complete the form, such as including a signature.